Wedded BlissOr Something Like It
by Amledo
Summary: Albion's Hero Queen is due to be wedded to the son of Garth, Hero of Will. But it is an arranged marriage and her heart belongs to another. Logan/Princess.


(A/N: I still don't own Fable, and I'm not going to. I think I should warn all of you that this is likely going to be the last that you hear from me when it comes to Fable 3 for at least a little while. That being said, I don't think I'm ever going to leave entirely, Logan is just too wonderful of a character to leave alone. Now, this is a Logan/Princess fic, which means, you guessed it, incest. If you don't like it then you don't have to read it and you can click away right now. Otherwise please enjoy your stay among my head bunnies.)

Wedded Bliss…or Something Like It

Nerves of steel were something that didn't really fall into her domains of Skill and Strength, at least not when she wasn't facing down a Balvarine or dueling a Bandit for her life. She was shaking like a leaf in a most uncontrollable and uncomfortable manner, it made her want to grit her teeth and clench every muscle in her body just to fight it. To calm the nerves that quaked and shook her thoughts so jarringly, she found herself raking nervous fingers through her hair, undoing the silken auburn locks from the elaborate design that they'd been woven into. Her handmaidens were growing frustrated with her actions, but dared not to say anything, not with Queen and former King in their presence at least.

It was a point of fact in her unsettled mind that Coronation hadn't been so damned nerve-wracking or terrifying. Compared to what was running through her mind at present, leading the revolt against her brother was an evening stroll through the gardens. In all truth, which she wasn't inclined to hide from a single soul at that point, she hadn't been nearly as petrified when she'd faced the Crawler. And that was a lead weight that sat in the pit of her stomach, of all the things that she had been able to do because she was a Hero, this wasn't one of them.

"You are beautiful my dearest sister. Why do you fret so? I'm sure that your Betrothed will think you a lovely specimen of Albion's highest breeding," Logan's voice was soft with the same imperial tone that it had always carried lingering in the background. But at one serious consideration of her features his face faulted and he gestured for the servants to vacate the room and give them a moment together. As soon as the room emptied the young Queen pivoted toward the former King and stopped trying to halt the panicked tears that had been threatening her for so long. She placed herself into his arms the instant that they were offered to her as a retreat.

"I don't give a damn what I look like right now. I can't do this, Logan I can't go through with this farce! I've never met him; I've had no correspondence with him other than the reminder that we are to be wed. I…" the Queen's voice broke and tears tracked endlessly through the makeup that the attendants had applied to an already perfect face. Logan held her more tightly then, his heart aching for the powerful woman in his arms reduced to such a pitiable state by something as callous as an arranged wedding. He bit his lip and looked away, not wanting to see her face when he told her what he had to tell her, at least in his stead as a political advisor.

"I don't think there's anything that can be done. Things have come this far…I know it's difficult…but these are the standards that we've both held the Nobility to…"

"But I can't love him! I don't care if he is Garth's son. No, I will not marry someone when I already love someone else. Those laws always were stupid and antiquated. I'll be damned twice if I don't repeal them tomorrow. I'll not be part of a situation that rends the heart in such a way any longer," she said with all the strength and firmness that chanced to remain in her tear-strained voice. Her hands were white-knuckle tight as they clutched Logan's broad shoulders for support that she wasn't likely to find in any other soul and to her great relief, he took it in stride. The former King simply rolled his shoulders to dislodge both of her hands and then gathered them in one of his hands before sighing and placing a kiss on his sister's unruly hair.

"Dear sister you act as if I have not already told you where you can find precious Elliot. You can go to hi…"

"They are ready for you my Lady," Jasper's voice was an interruption that neither sibling welcomed though the Queen was secretly amused that he could be so calm when she was so disheveled.

"But I'm not ready Jasper. Isn't that obvious?" the Queen sighed audibly and laid her head on Logan's chest. She needed his strong heart close to her in that moment because she had never done what she was about to do with her next few words. "Tell them…tell him, that I cannot hold to my father's oath. I will not go through with this," she said as she kept her voice as low and even as possible. Never before had King Sparrow's oaths been broken, and neither had she broken any oath that she had taken upon herself. All of Albion and Aurora had prospered for her steadfast support of any promise she made. For her part, she was ashamed and sorrowful at the prospect of what her father would think of her when she met him in the next world. But she believed that it would have hurt him more to know that she had been so very unhappy with his choice.

"As you wish dear girl. Are you quite alright? Shall I advise him that you are available for conference should he take offence to your refusal?" Jasper's kind voice was softened by sympathy for the young Queen.

"Thank you Jasper. And I truly shall endeavor to be alright; indeed this is a large step in the direction of alright for me. And if he wishes to see me then I will not say no. I will remain here until I know one way or the other," the Queen's voice trembled with the tears that still fell and Jasper nodded. The old butler vanished once more through the door to the main hall and the Queen collapsed in relief against Logan's chest. The former King of Albion looked at his sister's pale tear streaked face and felt relief wash through his mind. He helped her to sit down after removing the rather complicated outer set of skirts that attached to her wedding dress so that she sat in a much simpler skirt that didn't need much maneuvering to fit into the chair. Once she was settled and he in a chair beside her, he casually produced his handkerchief, giving her a means to clean herself up without acknowledging the great deal of makeup that was smeared upon his person.

After a few moments of calm silence there was a hesitant knock on the door and though she was quick to answer it in the affirmative it was a few more seconds before someone stepped inside. Her Betrothed and a man that she couldn't identify stepped through the door, both undeniably handsome in their own respects. The man that she was meant to marry had Garth's dark skin and gleaming white hair, his brilliant blue eyes glowed with the same ethereal quality as the Will Lines that traced his exposed skin. And the man that had accompanied him had gleaming obsidian skin, polished exquisitely by youth; his hair was nearly the same length as Logan's but a shocking crimson color she'd never seen before. She was momentarily unsettled by piercing golden eyes, by then the young man stepped behind her Betrothed and the effect was gone. Both men were Logan's age, if not older, but neither carried her brother's burdens.

"Your Highness," the man that she had decided not to marry had a deep voice that reminded her of the empty ocean, but he was polite and hesitant as well. She smiled at him as softly as she could manage with the tears starting up once again. Logan's handkerchief took care of them quickly and out of the corner of her eye she could see that he had taken up a defensive position beside her chair.

"I know that you must think me horrid and in the lowest regard my Lord…I…Rightly I should…the promise to your father…"

"Think nothing more of offending or insulting me dear girl. You have done nothing of the sort. It is only proper that I thank you for releasing me from my obligation when I hadn't the courage to end it of my own accord. While you are a Hero and a Queen and the finest woman that Albion and its neighbors have ever seen…in another life perhaps I would have jumped at the chance to call you my wife. However there's an issue of persuasion," at this his eyes darted to the man that had entered with him. "And I know that neither of us would have been happy in our arrangements. Indeed it was my elder sister that sent you the missive in an attempt to change my heart," he finished with the softest of tones and he smiled with gleaming white teeth. It was instantly a weight off her chest and she heaved a long sigh of relief.

"Ah, so you too are inclined to love someone else?" he nodded with no less intense of a smile. "And if I can guess at the nature of persuasion I shall venture to inquire, will he make you happy?" another nod and a brighter smile. "Then I most certainly mustn't keep you from your heart, or the lucky man. Of course I understand the repercussions of such a love in Samarkand. Know that I invite you to stay in Albion as long as you wish, and you as well as I can only assume from your expression of relief that you are in fact the object of his interest," the Queen said and her eyes traveled to the shorter man that stood silent until that moment. Both nodded with nervous smiles.

"Thank you my Lady Queen, you are more benevolent than I could ever begin to imagine. I think that we may take you up on your offer. Tell me though, so that I do not feel so utterly wicked. Is there someone to whom your heart already belongs?" her former Betrothed was an amazingly generous man when it came to his concerns and she smiled delicately at his need of assurance.

"Yes, there is someone that holds my whole heart. He does not yet know it, but I am free to tell him now that I am released from the obligation that we two were so unwillingly bound in," she shifted closer to Logan in an unconscious motion. "I planned to tell him the moment that I was certain that you had absolutely no designs upon my hand or—forgive my presumption—forcing me with violence to uphold a word I never gave. But you are a good man, and I am equally glad to spare your heart as you are to spare mine. I shall see you around dear man," she said in a plain voice though a smile touched her lips. As both men bowed in thanks she rose and clasped both of their hands, wishing them well in their lives together.

"Good luck to you as well," both said softly, their eyes flicking none too discretely over her shoulder to focus on Logan. Both men grinned at her, gave promises to visit and made their exit in swift seconds, joy thrumming through their auras.

"Well, I am pleased to see that that went well for all parties involved," Logan said in his calm stately voice as she turned from the door to face him, still standing where she'd left him. It was her expression that brought him up short, he could feel his mind stuttering and slowing down as she walked up to him. By the time she stood in front of him it was an unconscious but automatic response to put his arms around her. It was the confusion that burned in his dark gaze that tipped her off to the idea that he wasn't entirely with her.

"Can you perhaps guess what it is that I'm going to tell you dear brother? Is that the reason for your sudden disconnect?" she asked softly, her lips quirked into a smile as she slid her arms around his neck as well as her dress would allow. His body was stiff and he shook his head mutely, but none the less he continued to hold her close, his arms draped lightly about her waist. It wasn't normal for him to lose all coherent thought, in fact it was quite out of character, but he didn't know how he was meant to react in such a situation. If what he thought was about to happen were to actually happen…well it might just disprove everything he'd ever thought himself to know about his sister.

"You look so frightened my dearest Logan. Is it really that shocking to you that I could have fallen in love with you? I know that the world may think it wrong, and true, even I grappled with it for some time. But I can only hope that you afford me some small inch of understanding on the matter…" she stopped talking when his lips pressed themselves unrelentingly against her own. All concern and fear of rejection poured out of her mind and took the form of tears as her beloved brother came to life and kissed her with absolute abandon. He had pulled her as close as he could manage, his body trembling as one of his hands splayed over her lower back and the other tangled itself into her auburn tresses.

Neither of them noticed Jasper open the door, or indeed that he silently backed away and closed it again after having laid eyes on them. They didn't notice the way his face had schooled itself into blankness after briefly displaying a small smile. They didn't notice much but the person they had entwined with, and it held true even when they finally broke away from one another. Both were breathless and flushed, their clothes and hair disrespectfully rumpled, but neither had eyes for propriety. Evaluating one another, as though meeting for the first time or more accurately truly seeing each other for the first time in their lives, they found there was no need for words.

(A/N: And that's it. I can't thank you enough for reading. And I want to ask pretty please for some reviews. But I warn you against flames, because…I warned you what the fic was gonna be. Really it isn't even that bad. Oh well, until next time friends!)


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